""" 41. Serialization ``django.core.serializers`` provides interfaces to converting Django querysets to and from "flat" data (i.e. strings). """ from django.db import models class Category(models.Model): name = models.CharField(max_length=20) class Meta: ordering = ('name',) def __unicode__(self): return self.name class Author(models.Model): name = models.CharField(max_length=20) class Meta: ordering = ('name',) def __unicode__(self): return self.name class Article(models.Model): author = models.ForeignKey(Author) headline = models.CharField(max_length=50) pub_date = models.DateTimeField() categories = models.ManyToManyField(Category) class Meta: ordering = ('pub_date',) def __unicode__(self): return self.headline class AuthorProfile(models.Model): author = models.OneToOneField(Author) date_of_birth = models.DateField() def __unicode__(self): return u"Profile of %s" % self.author __test__ = {'API_TESTS':""" # Create some data: >>> from datetime import datetime >>> sports = Category(name="Sports") >>> music = Category(name="Music") >>> op_ed = Category(name="Op-Ed") >>> sports.save(); music.save(); op_ed.save() >>> joe = Author(name="Joe") >>> jane = Author(name="Jane") >>> joe.save(); jane.save() >>> a1 = Article( ... author = jane, ... headline = "Poker has no place on ESPN", ... pub_date = datetime(2006, 6, 16, 11, 00)) >>> a2 = Article( ... author = joe, ... headline = "Time to reform copyright", ... pub_date = datetime(2006, 6, 16, 13, 00)) >>> a1.save(); a2.save() >>> a1.categories = [sports, op_ed] >>> a2.categories = [music, op_ed] # Serialize a queryset to XML >>> from django.core import serializers >>> xml = serializers.serialize("xml", Article.objects.all()) # The output is valid XML >>> from xml.dom import minidom >>> dom = minidom.parseString(xml) # Deserializing has a similar interface, except that special DeserializedObject # instances are returned. This is because data might have changed in the # database since the data was serialized (we'll simulate that below). >>> for obj in serializers.deserialize("xml", xml): ... print obj # Deserializing data with different field values doesn't change anything in the # database until we call save(): >>> xml = xml.replace("Poker has no place on ESPN", "Poker has no place on television") >>> objs = list(serializers.deserialize("xml", xml)) # Even those I deserialized, the database hasn't been touched >>> Article.objects.all() [, ] # But when I save, the data changes as you might except. >>> objs[0].save() >>> Article.objects.all() [, ] # Django also ships with a built-in JSON serializers >>> json = serializers.serialize("json", Category.objects.filter(pk=2)) >>> json '[{"pk": "2", "model": "serializers.category", "fields": {"name": "Music"}}]' # You can easily create new objects by deserializing data with an empty PK # (It's easier to demo this with JSON...) >>> new_author_json = '[{"pk": null, "model": "serializers.author", "fields": {"name": "Bill"}}]' >>> for obj in serializers.deserialize("json", new_author_json): ... obj.save() >>> Author.objects.all() [, , ] # All the serializers work the same >>> json = serializers.serialize("json", Article.objects.all()) >>> for obj in serializers.deserialize("json", json): ... print obj >>> json = json.replace("Poker has no place on television", "Just kidding; I love TV poker") >>> for obj in serializers.deserialize("json", json): ... obj.save() >>> Article.objects.all() [, ] # If you use your own primary key field (such as a OneToOneField), # it doesn't appear in the serialized field list - it replaces the # pk identifier. >>> profile = AuthorProfile(author=joe, date_of_birth=datetime(1970,1,1)) >>> profile.save() >>> json = serializers.serialize("json", AuthorProfile.objects.all()) >>> json '[{"pk": "1", "model": "serializers.authorprofile", "fields": {"date_of_birth": "1970-01-01"}}]' >>> for obj in serializers.deserialize("json", json): ... print obj # Objects ids can be referenced before they are defined in the serialization data # However, the deserialization process will need to be contained within a transaction >>> json = '[{"pk": "3", "model": "serializers.article", "fields": {"headline": "Forward references pose no problem", "pub_date": "2006-06-16 15:00:00", "categories": [4, 1], "author": 4}}, {"pk": "4", "model": "serializers.category", "fields": {"name": "Reference"}}, {"pk": "4", "model": "serializers.author", "fields": {"name": "Agnes"}}]' >>> from django.db import transaction >>> transaction.enter_transaction_management() >>> transaction.managed(True) >>> for obj in serializers.deserialize("json", json): ... obj.save() >>> transaction.commit() >>> transaction.leave_transaction_management() >>> article = Article.objects.get(pk=3) >>> article >>> article.categories.all() [, ] >>> article.author # Serializer output can be restricted to a subset of fields >>> print serializers.serialize("json", Article.objects.all(), fields=('headline','pub_date')) [{"pk": "1", "model": "serializers.article", "fields": {"headline": "Just kidding; I love TV poker", "pub_date": "2006-06-16 11:00:00"}}, {"pk": "2", "model": "serializers.article", "fields": {"headline": "Time to reform copyright", "pub_date": "2006-06-16 13:00:00"}}, {"pk": "3", "model": "serializers.article", "fields": {"headline": "Forward references pose no problem", "pub_date": "2006-06-16 15:00:00"}}] """}